Actinidia chinensis plant named &#39;S600&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Actinidia chinensis  cultivar named ‘S600’ is disclosed, characterized by having distinctive yellow flesh fruit, heavy cropping and a seasonal harvest time of late April. Additionally, the new variety produces fruit with very soft, slight pubescence and with a distinctive blunt stylar end shape and square shoulders. The new variety is suitable for commercial production of kiwi fruit.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

Actinidia chinensis

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘S600’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program, begun in1975 under the direction of the inventor, Donald Alfred Skelton, acitizen of New Zealand. The seed parent is the unpatented, proprietaryseedling variety referred to as Actinidia chinensis ‘A124’ The pollenparent is the unpatented, proprietary seedling variety referred to asActinidia chinensis ‘RY.’

Fruit of the new variety was first evaluated in 2000 with favorableresults. After the first evaluation, the new variety was grafted onto 5seedling rootstocks; 3 of A. chinensis and 2 of A. deliciosa. Subsequentevaluations of the variety have shown the characteristics to be true totype.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘S600’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘S600.’ These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘S600’ as a new and distinct Actinidia chinensiscultivar:

-   1. Distinctive yellow flesh fruit.-   2. Seasonal harvest time of late April.-   3. Very soft, downy pubescence on fruit, with weak adherence to the    fruit skin.-   4. Oblong fruit shape.-   5. Fruit with a distinctive blunt stylar end shape and square    shoulders.

COMPARISON TO PARENT

Plants of the new cultivar ‘S600’ are similar to plants of the seedparent, Actinidia chinensis ‘A124’ in most horticulturalcharacteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘S600’ producefruit that is smaller and of a different shape than the seed parentvariety. Additionally, fruit of the new variety ‘S600’ reaches maturityfor harvest four to six weeks later than ‘A124.’

As the new cultivar is a female, comparison to the pollen parent, is notprovided.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

The new variety is best compared to the commercial variety, ‘Hort16A,’U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,066. ‘S600’ is similar to ‘Hort16A’ in manyhorticultural characteristics, however. ‘S600’ produces mature fruit twoto three weeks earlier than ‘Hort16A.’ Additionally, the new varietyproduces an oblong shaped fruit, compared to ovoid. Fruit of the newvariety ‘S600’ are distinctively blunt on the stylar end, compared tothe strong pointed stylar end shape of ‘Hort16A.’ Fruit shapedifferences can also be noted in the shoulder shape. Whereas ‘S600’produces fruit with strongly squared shoulder, ‘Hort16A’ fruit haverounded shoulders.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color typicalfoliage and flowers on plants of ‘S600.’ FIG. 2 illustrates in fullcolor typical flowers of ‘S600.’ FIG. 3 shows examples of typical fruitharvested from ‘S600.’ The photographs were taken using conventionaltechniques and although colors may appear different from actual colorsdue to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventionalphotographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe ‘S600’ plants grown under outdoor commercialtrial conditions in Rangiriri New Zealand. The growing temperatureranged from 10° C. to 25° C. with no precipitation. Measurements andnumerical values represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Actinidia chinensis cultivar ‘S600.’

PROPAGATION

‘S600’ can be successfully grafted onto rootstocks of Actnidia chinensisor Actinidia deliciosa.

PLANT

-   Sex expression: Female-   Ploidy: Diploid

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:    -   -   Average length.—Range between 14.3-15.0 cm.        -   Average width.—Range between 17.5-18.5 cm.        -   Shape of blade.—Very broadly ovate.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Cordate, not overlapping.        -   Attachment.—Petioled.        -   Margin.—Ciliate.        -   Texture of top surface.—Very slightly puckered.        -   Texture of under side.—Moderately glossy, non-pubescent.        -   Color.—Mature foliage upper side: Near RHS Green 137A.            Mature foliage under side: Near RHS Green 141C.        -   Petiole.—Length: Range between 14.0-15.3 cm. Pubescence:            None. Other characteristics: Moderate anthocyanin on            upperside of petiole.-   Flower:    -   -   Bud break.—Early September.        -   First flower.—Early October.        -   Diameter.—Average 4.4 cm.        -   Petal quantity.—6 to 10 per flower.        -   Petals overlapping.—Yes.        -   Primary color.—White.        -   Filament color.—White.        -   Anther color.—Brown.        -   Attitude of styles.—Semi-erect.        -   Hair on ovary.—Dense.        -   Color of ovary.—White.        -   Number of sepals.—6 to 10.        -   Color of sepals.—Green 141C.-   Fruit:    -   -   Color outer pericarp.—Near RHS Yellow 1C.        -   Color inner pericarp.—Near RHS Yellow 1B.        -   Core color.—Near RHS White 158D.        -   Brix at consumption.—15.8-16.0.        -   Brix at harvest.—8.50%.        -   Average weight.—105 grams.        -   Minimum weight.—87 grams.        -   Maximum weight.—115 grams.        -   Length.—Avg. 59 mm.        -   Width.—Avg. 51 mm.        -   Core diameter (maximum).—14.0 mm.        -   Core diameter (minimum).—7.0 mm.        -   Locule number.—30.        -   Fruit peduncle length.—46 mm.        -   Fruit peduncle width.—3.1 mm.        -   General shape.—oblong.        -   Median cross section.—circular.        -   Stylar end shape.—slightly blunt protruding.        -   Shoulder shape.—squared.        -   Calyx ring.—present.        -   Calyx ring expression.—moderate.        -   Skin color at harvest.—Near RHS Grey-Orange 165D.        -   Hair on fruit skin.—downy.        -   Hair adherence to skin.—weak.        -   Fruit core shape.—elliptic.        -   Core—woody spike.—small.        -   Mature seed color.—black.        -   Dried seed.—brown.        -   Harvest time.—Late April.        -   Overall cropping quantity.—heavy.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Storage life: Storage life is a minimum of 3 months at 2° C.-   Disease/pest resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to    pathogens and pests common to Actinidia chinensis have been    observed.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Actinidia chinensis plant named ‘S600’as herein illustrated and described.